New studies suggest that the factors leading people to start exercising and eating right are not necessarily the same ones that will drive them to remain active over time. The people that finally get their asses off the couch and out from in front of the idiot box have a really tough time STICKING to the commitment of exercise and healthy eating.
Research shows that this is all due to how people THINK about what they're doing. A sort of switch has to be flipped to continuously tell a one's mind -- "Hey! This is NOT temporary!" Otherwise the body still craves the same ol' junk you were putting into it before. Working out has to become WHO YOU ARE. Eating healthy has to become WHO YOU ARE. When something becomes a little bit of obsession, it is ingrained into your person and you no longer have to think about it.
For the next 3 posts (this one included) I will divulge 20 Ways to Stick to Your Workout. Here are the first FIVE:
1. Sign up for a distant race
That is, one that's at least 500 miles away. The extra incentive of paying for airfare and
a hotel room will add to your motivation to follow your training plan, says Carolyn Ross-
Toren, chairwoman of the Mayor's Fitness Council in San Antonio.
2. Make a 'friendly' bet
Challenge your nemesis—that idea-stealing coworker or a non-mowing neighbor—to a
contest. The first guy to drop 15 pounds, run a 6-minute mile, or bench- press 250
pounds wins. The key: "Make sure it's someone you don't particularly like," says Michael
Mejia, C.S.C.S., Men's Health exercise advisor. (It's okay if your rival thinks you're best
friends.)
3. Tie exercise to your health
Check your cholesterol. Then set a goal of lowering your LDL cholesterol by 20 points
and increasing your HDL cholesterol by 5 points. "You'll decrease your risk of heart
disease while providing yourself with a very important, concrete goal," says John
Thyfault, Ph.D., C.S.C.S., an exercise researcher at East Carolina University. Ask your
doctor to write a prescription for new blood work in a month. You'll just have to go to
the lab, and the doctor will call you with the results.
4. Switch your training partners
Working out with a partner who will hold you accountable for showing up at the gym
works well—for a while. But the more familiar you are with the partner, the easier it
becomes to back out of workout plans. "Close friends and family members don't always
make the best training partners because they may allow you to slack off or cancel
workouts," says Jacqueline Wagner, C.S.C.S., a trainer in New York City. To keep this
from happening, find a new, less forgiving workout partner every few months.
5. Compete
Find a sport or event that you enjoy, and train to compete in it. "It adds a greater
meaning to each workout," says Alex Koch, Ph.D., C.S.C.S., an exercise researcher (and
competitive weight lifter) at Truman State University. Consider training for the World
Master's games in 2009 (www.2009worldmasters.com), an Olympics-like competition for
regular guys. Events include basketball, rowing, golf, triathlon, and weight lifting.
If you have ANY questions, don't hesitate to ask !!
Until next time,
Sirius.
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